Sign of Improvement: Monster Index Rises Sharply

September 15, 2009 – The Monster Employment Index, a monthly analysis of millions of online job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of corporate career sites and job boards, rose in August, seeing its highest monthly rate of improvement in four years, as a majority of industries, occupations, and regions registered increased online job availability following the slow summer hiring activity. The Index's annual rate of decline continued to moderate, indicating some signs of improvement in underlying demand for labor nationwide. Arts, entertainment and recreation, retail trade and administrative/ support industries registered the largest monthly gains in August, rebounding from July's historic low. Meanwhile, offerings in healthcare and social assistance declined for the second consecutive month. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting registered the sharpest decline among industries in August. “The significant jump in the Monster Employment Index in August offers encouraging signs of improvement in the U.S. economy with the demand for managers and professionals as well as sales and office workers picking up in time for the fall hiring season,” said Jesse Harriott, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Monster Worldwide. “The Index is now at its highest since February while showing the most moderate yearly rate of contraction since December 2008.”